Homesick- Parshat Pinchas- 2021/5781

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 "Your friend in Karmiel"

July 2^nd 2021 -Volume 11 Issue 38 22^nd Tamuz 5781

 

Parshat Pinchas

Homesick

It It was the first time since I moved here that I felt homesick upon going back to the States. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my visit to America tremendously. It was good to see my family and share in their simchas. It was incredible to see and hug my parents after 2 1/2 years, the longest I have ever gone without seeing them. I met and visited so many friends that I haven't seen for years and caught up, just like the old times. And of course I ate and shopped a lot as well. But every nightwhen I went to sleep and every morning that I woke up, I missed home. Not just my family, not just Elka, but Eretz Yisrael. The holy land I've been privileged to call home for so long. I really felt for the first time the words of Reb Yehudah Ha'Levi "Libi B'Mizrach V'anochi b'Ma'arav"- My heart is in the east and I'm here in the west. It was a strange, new and sad feeling.

 Now if you asked me what it was that I missed, I'm not sure that I could actually tell you-which is kind of strange, because I usually am good at identifying my emotions. Ok, I'll admit that the usual emotions I need to identify are either hungry and lately tired which are not too complicated. But this homesickness really felt like it was something deep from my neshoma which admittedly I'm not in touch with as much as I'd like to. It was as if, it was pretty used to being in Israel- the longest it's ever been here as well- and it really wanted to get back. It missed being home. It was a spiritual longing-again something I'm not necessarily always familiar with.

 I felt like one of those Baal Teshuvas that I have been privileged to speak to or learn with who describe to me the first time they went to the Kotel or alternatively the first time they went on March of the living to Auschwitz, or the first time they experienced Shabbos or Yom Kippur in the real way. They describe a certain awakening inside of them. Something pulling them and drawing them closer. Something telling them they need to come home.

The truth is it's not only Baalei Teshuva. We all have moments and times when we have that spiritual longing. A lot of people get that way in yeshiva with one of those late night kumzitzes with a guitar around the bonfire. For some of us it's during Elul or the High Holidays, others on Purim with a little wine in their belly or Simchas Torah, and for others it's Shabbos or even three times a day when they daven-if they're really really good. I know that many of my tourists express that sentiment and feeling after spending a week or ten days here and then going back to the States afterwards. That is until the first corned beef sandwich or one of those American Kosher Shopping experiences with aisles and aisles and aisles of every possible Kosher food product you never even dreamed of, cooked, baked, smoked, rolled, roasted in ways you never thought possible. And they even bag your groceries for you and say thank you afterwards. And then we forget. Just as I, after returning here for three days am already forgetting how much my soul missed and appreciates this special country.

 There is a fascinating Midrash the Ohr Hachayim mentions in this week's Torah portion. It is an interesting parsha that brings together many diverse stories and topics that are seemingly unrelated. It begins with a continuation of the last week's terrible saga of Jews sinning with the idolatry of Baal Pe'or and the daughters of Midian and the ensuing plague in which 24,000 were killed, (that is besides the 150,000 plus that were killed according to Rashi by the judges and hung!). It tells us Pinchas'es reward for stopping the plague and the command to avenge Midian. From there the Parsha jumps to a tally of the Jewish people and the command to divide up the land according to a divine lottery. We have the daughters of Tzlafchad asking for their portion in the land despite the fact there was no clear law until then of girls inheriting. It then jumps to Moshe asking Hashem for the leader that will replace him and is told that Yehoshua will get that job and he should ordain him. And finally we have thrown in for good measure the laws of the daily sacrifices and the holiday sacrifices. The one factor Rav Hirsch notes that connects all of these laws and in fact the laws until the end of the book of Bamidbar- as well as really from the end of Chukas- is that all of this takes place on the Moav (Jordan) banks of the Yarden river opposite Yericho. It's the last stop before we come into Israel.

The Midrash explains that the reason why the laws of the sacrifices are repeated here, a question which seemingly all the commentaries struggle with. After-all the daily sacrifices have already been mentioned almost word for word back in Shemos. The laws of the holidays are mentioned in Vayikra, as are almost all of the sacrifice laws. Why is this stuck in here? The midrash's response.

"Because the Bnai Yisrael said until now we had our travels and thus we had our daily sacrifices. Now that we have concluded our travels the daily offerings are also concluded. So Hashem told Moshe to command them that the commandment for the sacrifices are still in force."

 It's a fascinating Midrash that can be taken in so many ways. I have seen some commentaries that suggest that one shouldn't think living in Israel is enough. We don't have to do mitzvos anymore. We can create a "New Jew" in our homeland. The Mitzvos and Torah are only relevant until we came home. There are certainly many that felt that way and I get the Rabbis using this midrash to show them their mistake. But, that's not what the midrash is saying, it wouldn't just be the sacrifices, it would be all of the mitzvos.

 Rav Kook though in one of his writings writes an incredible and powerful insight as to what perhaps the Jewish people were thinking and what is the incredible challenge that they find themselves at in this unique moment of the last stop before Israel. He writes about the halacha that one does not wear teffilin on Shabbos. The reason given for this is because Shabbos is called an "Os" sign and teffilin is a sign and we don't need two signs. He asks the obvious question, what's wrong with two signs and reminders of our relationship with Hashem?

 His answer is that there are two aspects to serving Hashem. There is the work of the weekday and there is the work of Shabbos. During the weekday among the physical and material world that we work and live in, we get that that call inside of us from our neshomos to strive higher. To connect to Hashem. We need teffilin to tie that voice down and connect it to us. To remind us. To be our sign. When Shabbos comes though, we have already arrived. It is mei'en olam ha'ba- the world to come. We have come home. There is no contradiction between the physical and material that we need a sign to remind us of. We need merely uplift all of the physical and enjoy it in the pleasure of basking in the palace of Hashem. This world though is called Olam Ha'zeh- it is this world. the world of "this" This and that, and this and that. It is pieces and pieces that are not connected.

 There is a time though, that is in-between these two places. In the Talmud it is called erev Shabbos samuch la'chasheicha- it is right before Shabbos close to nightfall. From the creation of the world it was called bein- hashemashos- twilight. In between the "suns". It is sitting on the banks of Moav in the arvot- or erev of Moav on the other side of the Jordan river from where the sun rises and looking across to the Yarden Yericho- The setting of the moon (yarayach has the same root as moon). The new dawn is approaching. The travels and wandering 40 years are over. On the one hand the eastern part of the Yarden and the lands of Sichon and Og have been conquered and are part of our country. On the other hand, we are still not home. We haven't arrived at the land of our forefathers. In Yiddish the phrase is we are "nisht a hin und nisht a her"- we're not here and we're not there. It is then when we run into problems and confusion. It is a time when even Moshe and the sages are crying at the entrance to the tent of Hashem. It is a time when tens or hundreds of thousands of Jews say we're close enough. We've answered the call of our souls. Moav is not that bad, their wine is not yet prohibited to us, their idolatry isn't really idolatry. We don't need the daily reminders we are home. We can shut down that voice inside of us.

 At times such as these we see the heroism of Pinchas who our sages tell us is also the soul of Eliyahu Hanavi telling us that we are not there yet. We need our teffilin still. We need to have our daily sacrifices. We may not have Moshe, we don't have Aharon, we have lost all of those that left Egypt, but we need to continue their legacy and their journey for them. We need to bring sacrifices as one nation meeting with Hashem. We need to hear that voice on all of our holidays calling out to us. We need to remember what we were really homesick for. We need to remember what our home is really all about.

 Sometimes we long for something and then when we get there, we hit ourselves on the head and ask ourselves is this really what we wanted for so long? Was I homesick so that my parents could start nagging me again? (I was really never homesick as a kid probably for that reason… and whadaya know? My kids were never either)? Did I want to get married so that I would have a lot more responsibilities? That I would have someone always correcting me (correctly- of course), limiting me from what I can do? Did I want children so that they would keep me up at night, they would be embarrassed of me, they would give me grey hairs? Unless we know what we were longing for our home for, unless we see in it our fulfillment, our Olam Haba- the world that we have come to. Unless we stop and bring daily sacrifices, we enjoy our Yom Tovim together, then we are at risk of losing it all. Of watching it all fall apart. Of seeing the plague ravage us, of us quickly sinking and losing all that we had gained in the tents of Moav that never fail to call out to us. We stay at twilight and we never see the new morning star rising. We don't hear Pinchas/ Eliyahu's wake-up call.

 This past week we have entered another period of in-between know ans Bein Hametzarim- between the straits; betweaen the period of mourning that begins with the 17^th of Tamuz and will end with what we hope to be the holiday of Tisha B'Av. That holiday will only come if we realize that we don't want to stay on shores of Moav the banks of the Yarden, or any banks anywhere elese but here (despite the fact that I really really hate Israeli banks). We read these parshas during these weeks always (in fact it's the reason why some years we have chukas- balak and others we have matos and maasei together- it's all in order that these parshas on the twilight of entering Israel should awaken us. Make us all really long for the home we've been waiting for since we left Egypt. For the day when it will always be Shabbos

 Have a eretz yisraeldikeh Shabbos,

 Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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WE"RE BACK!!!!

YOU"VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME BUT WE"RE FINALL BACK IN

 MISHPACHA MAGAZINE

WITH PART II OF THE SHVIL HASANHEDRIN TRAIL!

This tour was certainly one of my coolest and favorite ones and you have to check out the article and the…get ready for this

FIVE AMAZING SHORT VIDEOS

So don't wait got to the following link and check out

The latest Rabbi SCHWARTZ TOUR

Right here

https://mishpacha.com/doorways-to-redemption/

And then of course share, like, comment and write a letter to the editor about how special these tour are to you!

PS- Scroll down to videos of the week and you'll find the link for the new videos of the first article part I of the Shvil that have just been posted!!

 ***************

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

" Dorten iz gut vu mir zeinen nit duh." It seems good in the place where we aren't

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

35) The great earthquake in Safed (Zefat) was in the year:

A) 1799

B) 1837

C) 1869

D) 1882

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

 https://youtu.be/IKbxGdppO30  – Ari Goldwag and Yerachmiel Begun Bisiyata Di'Shmaya in his latest Acapella album from Darkness to Redemption.

https://youtu.be/Kivg8Bce-pA – And another Ari G. classic My Zaidy with Tali Yess the great Moshe Yess OB"M's son

 

https://youtu.be/KQJKm33V4do   - Yaakov Shwekey's Acapella- I think this is one of his best songs on his new CD A toast to life. But it really doesn't go Acapella… Bad idea. But hey, the three weeks we should feel we're missing good music…

 

https://youtu.be/xev2WrnGZNE  - For those- like me- that like golden oldies, this Acapella medley of Amudai Shaish Yerushalayim songs will bring you nostalgia for the good old days.

  

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/ ERETZ YISRAEL CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Your Place in Israel – Parshat Pinchas- This week's parsha shares with us the story and role models of the original Chovivei Tzion-lovers of Zion, the daughters of Tzlafchad. These 5 daughters who were not proscribed to inherit in the land of Israel, as their father had died and the Torah only proscribes inheritance to fall to the sons, approached Moshe and asked if indeed they did not get to have a portion. They also want a place in Eretz Yisrael. When the Torah tells us their names it tells us their lineage all the way back to Yosef and the Midrash tells us that just as their ancestor Yosef loved the land and made his children promise to take his bones with them out of Egypt and brought to Israel, they as well acted out of a love for Eretz Yisrael.

 The truth is if one wanted to be cynical you could argue that perhaps they were merely interested in a free property in Israel. Who says it was out of any special passion for Eretz Yisrael. They wanted inheritance. It is for that reason the Torah felt it was so essential to put that stamp of Yosef on them. It was for guys like you-that always try to 2^nd guess people's pure intentions. But in truth if you wanted to continue the process one could ask who says Yosef was a lover of Israel either. Maybe he only wanted to be buried in Israel, as his father did so that that when Mashiach comes he won't have to roll across the desert in underground tunnels by techiyat Ha'Meisim?  He was being pragmatic, that's not Zionistic.

 The answer could perhaps be found in the follow-up to this story wherein the tribe of Menashe complains that they are nervous that if these women marry out of the tribe than the biblical portion of Menashe will be minimized as it will pass to the husbands after marriage. As a result of this the Tzlafchad girls all agreed to only marry within their own tribe and family. There's something special about the portion of Israel belonging to each Jew and each tribe. There is a prohibition in the Torah of stealing someone's property. If I steal your land I violate the prohibition of lo tigzol- thou shall not steal. In Israel- and only in Israel- there is an additional prohibition of Hasagat Gevul- moving my border and infringing on your border. If I move or extend my property marker onto your land and take it from you unlawfully, one violates this prohibition. Yet this is only in Israel. Why?

 Rav Avraham Tzvi Margalit, the Rav of Karmiel in his incredible new sefer Mapik Margaliyot suggests that in Eretz Yisrael when one infringes on another's property he in fact is infringing on the place and source that has been divinely ordained where he can best achieve his spiritual fulfillment from. The Talmud tells us on the first page of tractate Sota that 40 days before a person is born it is decreed in heaven who his bashert will be. Everyone knows that. But did you know that the gemara as well continues and tells us that in that same 40-day period the same voice from heaven declares what your address and house and field will be? The reason is because just as one's bashert is essential to completing a person and helping him or her achieve their spiritual purpose in this world, so is the place that they are meant to live and make their living. It is from where they are meant to shine out their light to the world from and where they draw their spiritual strength from.

On a deeper level perhaps it is the place and from that earth where one is formed. The Midrash tells us that when Adam was created from earth, he was formed from earth from all over the world, and each of his descendants are connected to that particular location of the piece of earth from where they come from and inherited from him in their DNA. The Jewish descendants were all formed from the earth in Eretz Yisrael. It is that specific location where it is decreed forty days before they were born were their "house" and "field" are. It is from there even if they are living in Chutz la'aretz that they draw their spiritual nourishment from. In fact the Abudraham explains that is the reason why even Jews living in Chutz La'aretz when they bentch and say al hamichiya thank Hashem for eating and being nourished from the land of our forefathers that has been given to us. Even though the apple may say grown in Washington but if it makes it to a Jews plate it is because of his field in Israel.

 If that is the case, then perhaps the reason why all of the bodies in the times of the resurrection of the dead must come to Israel before coming back to life. For mei 'afar ba'asa li'afar tashuv- you came from earth you must be returned to earth. You need to return to the specific earth you were formed from to be able to be brought back to life. For that is the source of your spiritual energy. Yosef understood that and it is why he wanted to be brought back to Eretz Yisrael. The daughters of Tzlafchad as well connected to that idea and appreciation of Eretz Yisrael. They therefore wanted to inherit the land to be connected to their spiritual source. They understood that it was decreed as was who the bashert they would marry would be. It was a package deal. Thus they agreed to marry within in their tribes so that all of their descendants would as well draw from that energy of theirs.

 And finally it is for that reason why there is an additional prohibition of extending one's borders when one steals the land of Israel from someone. For everywhere else your house is just your house, your field is just your field and if someone steals it he is just a thief. However, in Eretz Yisrael when someone takes possession of someone else's land he is taking away his connection to his spiritual source. What an amazing thought and idea from the true lovers of Eretz Yisrael. How can you not love and dream of the source of our really completion? We each have a basherteh place in Israel. A space created for us before we were born just as our spouses were to make us whole. To complete us. Is it any wonder than that the Jewish soul despite 2000 years of exile has always longed to come home and be connected?

 RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

 Dovid's Enemies- 840 BC – After Dovid sends his "team" back in place to keep their eyes on Avshalom he heads off mournfully from Mt. Of Olives. Along the way he is approached by Ziva the servant of Shaul and Yonasan who was now serving Mepiboshes, the crippled surviving son of Yonasan. Ziva comes with donkeys laden with food and wine and prostrates himself to Dovid pretending as if the supplies came from his own stock. When Dovid asks why Mepiboshes himself didn't come to greet Dovid. Ziva, who had convinced Mepiboshes not to come, suggests to Dovid that Mepiboshes is backing Avshalom and is waiting for the kingdom to be handed over to him. It was pure slander and according to one opinion Dovid bought it hook line and sinker, according to another opinion he at least suspected that it might be true. Regardless Dovid will be held accountable for accepting this lashon hara and he promises Ziva that he will transfer all of Mepiboshes property to him.

 Dovid did not have to wait long for retribution for Hashem for listening to this Lashon Hara. He approached the city of Bachurim where he was accosted by none other than the teacher of his son Shlomo and the eventual great great grand-daddy of Mordechai from the Purim story; Shimi'i ben Geira. Now the location of this city mentioned a few times in Tanach is somewhat of a mystery. We know it is in the portion of Binyamin and east of Jerusalem and south of a city named Galim. There are those that suggest that it is right near the east of Anatot today in a ruins known as Hurbat Almit. That is because the Targum Yonasan and the Radak both say the other name of the city was Alamot. Others suggest it is about three Km north of Mt. Scopus south of Anatot in Hurbat Charuva- where the Bachurim and Charuva got switched in Arabic. Finally there are some that place it in Abu Dis near East of Yerushalayim on the border of Midbar Yehuda.

 Shimi'i comes out cursing and throwing stones at Dovid. He calls him every name in the book. He blames him for the death of Avner, for Shaul and Yonasan. He calls him an adulterer and accuses him of killing Uriah, Batsheva's husband. He sees Dovid's being usurped by Avshalom as divine justice for all of Dovid's sins. Dovid just took it all quietly. When Avishai- Yoav's brother who had accompanied Dovid offers to remove his head, Dovid tells him that sticks and stones may break their bones but names will never hurt him. In addition he felt that this is not Shimi'i's doing but in fact it is Hashem that wishes him to have this humiliation. Shimi'i merely a pawn. As well he felt that this might serve as an atonement and may even invoke Divine mercy upon him for remaining silent and taking this abuse. This lesson of Dovid is such a powerful and eternal one for all of us on how to look at and respond when someone unjustly maligns or humiliates us.

On Dovid's death bed he will avenge the shame that Shimi'i caused him and his disgrace of Dovid's kingship when he commands Shlomo to take care of him. But for now Dovid walks away as the curses and rocks are pelted upon him. That is the humility of Dovid Melech Yisrael who's lessons are Chai V'kayam.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S REALLY AIRPLANE TRAVEL JOKES  OF THE WEEK

 Q: Why did the airplane get sent to his room? Bad altitude.

 Julius Levy was a proud Jew of German descent. A real Yekki who was always organized and in control. As he planned his first trip to Israel he made his reservations with his travel agent ordered his kosher meal and told them it was very important that he received an aisle seat on his flight.

6 months before his flight he called to confirm his reservation and aisle seat… and was told in no uncertain terms yes sir…you have an aisle seat 38c

Three months before he would ring up the airline again and confirm, yes sir you have aisle seat 38c…one month before he would ring up the airline again and confirm

A week before he would ring up the airline again…

The day before he would drive to the airport and speak to the ticketing agent, yes sir you have aisle seat 38c.

On the day of his flight he comes hours before…to check that he has aisle seat 38c

He finally takes his trip and much to his consternation 38C is a window seat. He is fuming the entire flight. When  he arrives at his destination  he calls his travel agent and begins to tell her how upset he was.  "6 months ago I booked an aisle seat…3 months ago…a month ago …a week ago…yesterday…today… and when I got on the plane…what do you think…I DIDN’T have the aisle seat….The gave me a window."

The agent apologized and trying to be helpful says, if it was so important to you to have the aisle seat, why didn’t you ask the fellow in the aisle to switch seats with you…

Julius responded with exasperation "Don’t you think I thought of that? The problem was that there was no one sitting in that aisle seat!"

 

 Yankel and an Achmed are the lone passengers on a plane. Suddenly, the plane's engines conk out. Immediately, the Achmed quickly grabs the only parachute from above Yankel's seat and jumps out. 

The pilot asks the Yankel, "How will you survive?" 
Yankel  answers, "Don't worry about me, he took my tallis bag by mistake." 

 Marvin and Janine, an elderly Jewish couple, are sitting together on an airplane flying to the Far East. Suddenly, over the public address system, the Captain announces, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am afraid I have some very bad news. Our engines have ceased functioning, and this plane will be going down in a few minutes time. The good news is that I can see an island below us that should be able to accommodate our landing. The bad news is that this island appears to be uncharted - I am unable to find it on our maps. So the odds are that we will never be rescued and will have to live on the island for a very long time, if not for the rest of our lives." 

Marvin turns to Janine and asks, "Janine, dear, did we turn off the oven?" and Janine replies, "Of course." 
"Janine, are our life insurance policies paid up?" "Of course." 
"Janine, did we pay our pledge for the Kol Nidre appeal?" 
"Oh my God, I forgot to send off the cheque." 
"Thank Heaven! They'll find us for sure!!"

Q: Is one permitted to ride in an airplane on the Sabbath? A: Yes, as long as your seat belt remains fastened. In this case, it is considered that you are not riding, you are wearing the plane.

His request approved, the CNN News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, 'Let's go'.

The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.'

'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for CNN' he responded, 'and I need to get some close-up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me, is . . . You're NOT my flight instructor?'

*********************************

Answer is B- Generally years are not my strong point.I'm better at decades or centuries. Although the tour guides that do quote exact years are pretty impressive. Which is why most of us at some time or another will make up years and quote them with authority. But the date of the Tzfat earthquake is an easy one for me. Tzfat is one of the places I tour the most- or at least used to in the good old days- and the earthquake is a central piece of the history of Tzfat and the end its Golden Era. So 1837 is a year I remember and don't have to make up.   So the score now is 26 for Rabbi Schwartz and 8 for the Ministry of Tourism on this exam.

Eye Adjustment- Ki Tavo 2016/5776

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

 

September 23^rd 2016 -Volume 6, Issue 52 20^th Elul 5776

Parshat Ki Tavo

Eye Adjustment

He hadn’t left his room for three weeks. Reb Avraham Dov of Avrtich, better known by the title of the book authored by this great Chasidic Rebbe; the Bas Ayin, was one of the warmest Rebbes. He was beloved by all his chasidim. Having recently fulfilled his life-long dream of moving to Eretz Yisrael at the age of 65 in the year 1830, he had seemingly been higher and greater than he had ever been. Although he had written his work in Europe, he had refused to publish it until it had made its way to Eretz Yisrael and ‘breathed’ the holiness of the country. It was now on the way to be printed. After touring the country a bit, he settled into his routine in Tzfat, in his shul, his classes and his weekly sermons and his chasidus grew. But for three weeks the Rebbe had not come out of his room. Not for prayers, not to meet with his students, not even for his classes. There was a chasid that claimed to have peeked through the window and said he saw the Rebbe just sitting and staring at the floor with tears flowing down his eyes sobbing.

But after three weeks the Rebbe opened the door and walked out. His face was shining like sun. His joy and his exuberance were palpable. He announced that all were invited that evening to his home as he was making a seudat hoda’a- a thanksgiving feast. Now everyone was really curious? What went on? What happened in that room? What was the party all about?

The Rebbe stood up by the meal and he shared with his chasidim the following story. He told them that when he was in Europe his highlight of every year was when theshada”rim would come and collect money. The shada’rim which is an acronym of the word Shlucha D’Rabanan or rabbinic emissaries, were collectors that were sent out from the Holy Land all over Europe. They were sent to raise money for their respective communities that were fulfilling the mitzva of settling the land and preparing it for the imminent arrival of Mashiach when all Jews would return there. The Rebbe recalled how he would sit and talk for hours with these collectors. He would pester them with questions about anything they can share with him about the land that he loved and yearned for so much.

The last shadar that was by him though wasn’t playing ball. He told the Rebbe after a while, that he had nothing else that he could possibly share with him. He told him that when he comes to Israel-God willing and he goes to the Kotel, the Western Wall, he will be able to hear the wall talking to him and feel the Shechina’s presence. But the Rebbe was relentless. He begged to share with him one more thing. So he told him once again that when he comes to Israel and he goes to Rachel’s tomb he would be able to feel all of the longing of Jews for centuries for the return to Eretz Yisrael and the coming of Mashiach. But that still wasn’t enough for the Rebbe. He was like an addict begging for more and more. Just one more hit. Like a kid in a candy store, like me at a Kiddush, just one more bowl of chulent....please, please...

Finally the shadar told him that when you come to Tzfat you will see the stones and the rocks on the floor how they glisten like diamonds, like pearls. And with that theshadar left. The Rebbe told his chasidim how the words and those images played over in his mind for years until he was able to finally come here.  And he had. Upon arriving the Rebbe came to Tzfat and established his shul and then he went around the country to see and experience that holiness that only Eretz Yisrael has. He had visited the Kotel, he had gone to Rachel’s tomb. He had truly felt the holiness that he had been told about. Yet upon his return to Tzfat, he realized that he had yet to see the diamonds. Tzfat was a nice city, a holy city, the largest and greatest Jewish population in Israel at the time. But having suffered some earthquakes in the past the city had a lot of rocks, a lot of ruins. To the Rebbe’s eyes they were just that; rocks and rubble. He figured that the shadar had just exaggerated or embellished a bit. You know how these Rabbis who try to convince you to make Aliya are...J

But just a few weeks ago, lo and behold guess who came to town. It was that shadarthat had visited him back in Europe. The Rebbe was so excited to see him he called him into his room. He hugged him, he kissed him and he thanked him for all the inspiration he had given him to come to Israel. Yet at the end of the conversation the Bas Ayin turned to him and asked him why he had exaggerated so much. He told theshadar that he had gone to Yerushalayim and truly felt the Shechina talking to him. It was as if the wall and the stones were able to communicate with his soul. He had gone to Rachel’s tomb and sure enough he was overwhelmed with that longing for Mashiach. He felt he was not only wiping away his own tears as he stood there but the tears of his Mama Rachel and of all of her children for millennia that are awaiting that final day of redemption. Yet in Tzfat although he had appreciated all the greatness, holiness and spirituality of the city. Yet the rocks were truly just rocks. The city was a mound of them. There was no need for the shadar to make up bubbe-maysah’s-folklore about this special city as well.

The shadar turned to the Rebbe and with the words that pierced his heart he opened up the window and pointed and said

“Does the Rebbe really mean to tell me that you truly cannot see the glistening diamonds that are lining these streets?”

The Rebbe was taken aback. How is that he didn’t see it? He decided then and there that he needed to go in to seclusion. He would not leave his room until he too could see those incredible diamonds. So he sat in his room. He cried and he cried. Each time he would open his eyes all he would see were the same gray rubble, the stones, the hard rocks of Tzfat. But this morning, he told his chasidim when he opened his eyes after crying his eyes and his soul out all night long, before him stood a field of diamonds. I imagine it as being that incredible yellow brick road of Oz. Pearls, diamonds, glistening in the holy sun rays were laid out all around. He didn’t see any dirt he saw sparkly sand. It was wondrous. It was a whole new holy world.

The last Aliya in this week’s Torah portion concludes with an incredible strange and perplexing statement by Moshe Rabbeinu in his last speech to Am Yisrael. (Devarim 29:1-8)

 “And Moshe summoned all of Israel and said to them ‘You have seen everything that Hashem did L’Eineichem- before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all of his slave- the great trials that your eyes beheld, those great signs and wonders.

But Hashem did not give you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear until this day. I led you for forty years in the wilderness, your garment did not wear out from on you, and your shoe did not wear out from on your feet. Bread you did not eat and wine or beer you did not drink so that you would know that I am Hashem you God.

And you have arrived at this place. And Sichon the king of Heshbon and Og, King of the Bashan wento out towards battle and we smote them. We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to (the tribes of) Reuven, Gad and half of the tribe of Menashe. And you shall keep the words of this covenant Lma’an Taskilu- in order that you shall be succeed in all that you do’.”

I know it’s a long quote but bear with me. It will be worth it. As I said it’s perplexing because on one hand Moshe tells them that they have ‘seen everything Hashem has done before their eyes’. On the other hand, Moshe tells them that Hashem hasn’t given ‘them eyes to see until this day’ which in itself is a perplexing statement. What is this day? Although Rashi quotes that he heard that on this day Moshe had given the Torah scroll to the tribe of Levi and the nation complained that they wanted it themselves. However the text seems to tell us that Moshe is telling them that the reference is talking about the fact that they have already started dwelling in the land as this was given to them from Og and Sichon and the tribes are settling there.

Rav Zalman Sorotzkin (my wife’s step-grandfather in-law) in his seminal work Oznayim La’Torah suggests that is precisely what Moshe is telling them. That until now they were looking at the world with their chutz l’Aretz-diaspora eyes. They saw miracles and wonders that Hashem had done before their eyes. Although one can even read the words as saying that they have seen everything that Hashem has donel’eineichem- to their eyes- rather than before their eyes. Hashem had opened up their eyes until now. However now that they have reached Eretz Yisrael, now that they have actually arrived and even started settling it- albeit on the other side of the Jordan, they have their own holy eyes to see. The air of the land makes wise- our sages tell us. One that has learned Torah outside of Israel is like two when he comes here. Here in Eretz Yisrael we have the ability on our own to see the wonders, the miracles, touch theshechina, hear the longing and see the diamonds and the pearls.

It is interesting that the last words that we shall keep the covenant ‘l’maan taskilu’ the text tells us. I translated above those words like Rashi and the Unkelos translation that define those words as ‘in order that you shall succeed’. Yet the Yerushalmi- Jerusalem translation translates the words as biglal dtiboninun- in order that you shall contemplate/understand/internalize all that you do. In the Diaspora one follows the laws and remembers the covenant perhaps to be successful. This comes from the wordseichel-intelligence. The Jerusalem translation written in Eretz Yisrael understands so much deeper, that the covenant is so that we can open your eyes and internalize sights and experiences with eyes that one only gets when he is here.

I conclude this week’s insights with an (slightly edited) E-Mail from a very dear tourist of mine that shared with me some of his thoughts after our trip together. They inspired me I hope they inspire you as well.

“First I want to thank you for the recap of the most amazing life altering trip. It truly was amazing to re-read and thereby re-live the trip. It is amazing to think that myself, who spent only 12 days in Eretz Yisroel, knows more and understands more of the Land, be it from a political, regional, Torah view, than my friends who lived there many years. On a personal note: Your love for the Land was contagious and infectious. 

I have a new appreciation for Im Kol Zeh Achakeh Lo B’chol Yom Sheyavo. I learnt things about myself in Eretz Yisroel that I did not know existed. But the two real gifts you gave me through our time spent together is:

1) I now feel and more importantly know, that although I have a house in Ameirca and I currently live here, my home is in Eretz Yisroel. I have a desire to someday when the time is right  to come to the land were we belong. 

2) Interestingly, I have always had a very hard time with the three weeks and Tisha B’av. I have never really understood it, I never really had a feeling for it. I always went to shul, heard Eicha, went home like it was just another night, went to shul, and said my 10 kinot to be yotzie, and went home chilled the remainder of the day. I always felt that I had no connection. 

This Tisha B’av was different. I cried. I cried because I saw first-hand the ruins of Yerushalayim. I cried because I saw the ruins of the City of Dovid. I cried because I saw the place where R’ Akiva was murdered as one of the Asarah Harugie Malchus-{the Ten Martyrs from the Roman period mentioned on Tish B’Av}. But most of all I cried because I wasn’t crying anymore as I used to do because I didn’t fully know what we are crying for. I finally was able to begin to understand what it was about. It was the most intense Tisha B’av I have ever had. I was captivated by the feelings put forth in the Kinos, the profound sadness and terror described in Eicha. I would not have felt this if not for your unbelievable knowledge that you shared with us, and in the places you shared it with. You brought to life, what the land looked like and what life was like in the times of the Beis Hamikdash. We were able to see it in our minds, to appreciate what we lost. It was life altering,

Again I want to thank you beyond thank you for imparting your love of the land to us. 

Hopefully we will be able to travel together again in the near future in the times of the geulah shelameah

Hatzlacha Rabbah”

Thank you Shimmy for letting me part of being the shadar that shows you our diamonds.

Have an eye-opening Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 

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RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEO CLIPS OF THE WEEK

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jamYFJkkfA&list=PLiDlv6vUYKDzwqZhg0mJ6mR4OvECfW7VE - Shlomo Carlebach selichos 1992

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7OAxcrwOI - The stone laying of the Ponovizh yeshiva with footage of the Rav whos yartzeit is this Friday.

 

https://youtu.be/sExHrxsZscw   - in honor of all of the UMAN Rosh Hashana travelers the newest song by my dear friend Gershon Veroba and singer Micha Gammerman arrangements of course by the one and only Yitz Berry!

 

https://youtu.be/K0fAkL6xmNw - an incredible story and song from Eitan Katz. This is a song you should play like a million times its so beautiful...

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

"Vos lenger a blinder lebt, alts mer zet er” -The longer a blind man lives, the more he sees

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S JEWISH PERSONALITY AND HIS QUOTES IN HONOR OF THE YARTZEIT  OF THE WEEK

 

 

“All that I have accomplished has been with my 21 fingers. Ten on my hands ten on my toes and the one above of Hashem.”

 

“You should be embarrassed of yourselves. They exempt you from serving the army and this is the way you behave! Shame on you that do they not allow you to sit and learn in peace and quiet.” As quoted by Rav Nissan Kaplan after the Israeli flag was taken down from the yeshiva by zealots

“Others sleep and dream, but I dream, and sleep not.” -When people told him that he is dreaming if he thought he could rebuild his yeshiva after the war in Eretz Yisrael

“I see the vision of the return to Zion in our generation as the revelation of the light of divine providence, which strengthens our hand and accompanies us through the evil waters that have risen against us ... I see miracles every moment, every hour! I am sure that His Honor sees the thing as I do, for who like the ship's captain standing at the wheel of the ship sees these miracles” in a letter to Ben Gurion after the 6 Day war.

 

 “Mark my words these young men of the Hagana and the Etzel will throw the British out of this country and will build a Jewish State here in Israel. But you should know more than that. If I had 10-15 students who had the same dedication, single-minded commitment and self-sacrifice that these boys had we could create a Torah State here in Israel. But I don’t have them.... Learn up from these young men... ” - quoted and heard by Rabbi Berel Wein from a lecture the Ponovezher Rav gave in Chicago in 1947 a few months before the UN vote of 1947 recognizing a Jewish State.

 

“Titus! Evil Titus! Take a good look at what has occurred. You dragged my hapless people out of our land two millennia ago and led them into an exile from which they were never to return. You went home to Rome - the most powerful nation on earth - in glory and triumph. But Titus, where are you? What has become of the glory that was Rome? What has become of the infallible empire that was supposed to last forever? The Jewish people however are still here and continue to flourish. Titus, we are here! Where are you?”- Quoted by Dr. Rothchild as he brought the Rav by his request upon arriving in Rome to the arch of Titus and he got out of the car and said this with rain pouring through his beard.  

 

Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman The Ponovezher Rav (1886 - 5729 / 1969) This  Friday, the 20^th of Elul

 Born in Kuhl, Lithuania, a small town of about 500 of which about a third were Jews. His father, Rav Yehudah Leib, was a famed talmid chacham and baal chesed. At the age of 14 he went to the Telshe Yeshiva, where he learned until he was twenty (or 21) under Harav Shimon Shkop and became close to Harav Eliezer Gordon, the yeshivah’s founder. In 1908, Reb Yosef Shlomo went to learn mussar from Reb Yosef Yoizel, the Alter of Novardok. While there, Harav Yechiel Michel Epstein, the Aruch Hashulchan, taught him the necessary skills for Rabbanut, after which he spent three years in Radin under the Chafetz Chaim.
He married the daughter of Harav Leib Rubin, the Rav of Vidzh. For a while he learned alone at the home of his father-in-law. In 1911, Reb Leib was offered the Rabbanut of Wilkomir; his position in Vidzh passed to his son-in-law, who also opened a yeshivah there.
After Rav Kahaneman’s impressive eulogy at the levayah of Reb Itzele Rabinowitz of Ponevezh in 1919, the community offered him the position of Rav. He became Rav of Ponevezh (at age 33) and opened a yeshivah there which attracted many of Lithuania’s best talmidim. Rav Kahaneman guided his flock with wisdom and fatherly love. He was appointed as the Jewish representative to the Lithuanian parliament.
After 20 years, when the Nazis conquered Lithuania, Rav Kahaneman was on a mission abroad when World War II broke out and was unable to return to be with his family and his students. In 1940 he settled in Eretẓ Israel and from there directed efforts, in vain, toward the rescue of Lithuanian Jewry from the Nazis. Most of his family perished in the Holocaust. Thereafter, he devoted himself to reestablishing in Ereẓ Israel a network of Torah institutions. In 1943 he established Batei Avot, an orphanage for refugee children.fled to Eretz Yisrael, (1940), then under the British Mandate, and became a leader of chareidi Jewry.
Although broken and distraught over the fate of Europe’s Jews, he decided that he had been spared to bemekadesh Shem Shamayim-sanctify the name of Hashem. In 1941, Rav Kahaneman set the cornerstone for the new Ponevezher Yeshivah on a hill overlooking Bnei Brak.
Despite general skepticism, Rav Kahaneman, with his powers of persuasion, collected enough money to build what became the largest yeshivah yet in Eretz Yisrael and one of the largest in the world. He traveled widely in chutz laAretz to secure financial support. There are many great stories about his skills at getting money out of the least likely people. The man who never gave to anyone who the Rav convinced him to donate the picture he had of his grandfather for the yeshiva library and then asked him to donate the library. The anti-religious man who only agreed to give money if his institution will learn Torah without wearing Yarmulkas which he took and started a girl’s school with. Those are just a few of  the stories.
The Ponevezher Rav’s ambitions were not limited to his yeshivah. He founded and supported dozens of other institutions, especially for the “yaldei Tehran,” orphans rescued from the Holocaust and brought to Israel (Batei Avot orphanages). He also revived the yarchei kallah concept, providing two weeks a year of intense learning at the yeshivah for working men.
The Ponevezher Rav merited seeing all his projects reach fruition.
Reb Yosef Shlomo was niftar on 20 Elul 5729/1969, at the age of 83. He was buried in the Ponevezher beit hachaim on the outskirts of Bnei Brak.

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q. The Druze house of prayer is called:

A.    Diwan

B.  Zawiya

C.  Madrasa

D.  Hilweh

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL RASHI OF THE WEEK

So much can be derived from Rashi not only by what he says but also by what he doesn’t say; even the greatest philosophical question of the world can be found in just a simple reading and appreciation of what he says and what he doesn’t.

This week we read the blessings and curses that are given if we follow or not the commanments. On of the first blessings is

(Devarim 28:6) Blessed are you in your coming and blessed are you in your going

 

What is the question that you should be asking about this verse? You’ve been learning long enough with me here to ask it. OK I’ll tell you. Seemingly one goes before one comes, Right? So why is it reversed. Rashi thus explains that the verse is referring to coming into this world. One’s leaving of this world should be just like one’s coming to this world. Just as we came without sin we should leave without sin.

Great! Nice the problem is there is a verse in the curses that seems to say the opposite where this interpretation fails for there it says

(ibid :16) Accursed shall you be in your coming and accursed shall you be in your going out

Interestingly enough Rashi is silent over there. It can’t mean that one comes into the world cursed? Or maybe it can?

The Binyan Ariel notes that there is a great debate for 2 ½ years in the Talmud (Eruvin13) between the schools of Hillel and Shamai for years is it better to be born or never born. The resolution finally being that for a wicked person it is better not to be born. This would seemingly contradict our verse here that one is blessed when they come into the world. Rashi’s grandson though, Tosafos however explains that this is only true for a wicked person a righteous person though praised is he and praised is his generation. Where does tosafot derive that from? Seemingly our Rashi his grandfather.

For in verse that talks about the blessing, Rashi felt the need to explain the blessing of coming into the world. For the assumption based on the Talmud would be that one’s coming to this world is a curse. He therefore explains that you are blessed when you first come in to the world only when one is righteous, when one fulfills the commandments. However when one sins and one does not fulfill the mitzvos then his very existence, his coming into the world is understood to be a curse as the Talmud explicitly says the resolution was between Beit Hillel and Shammai That Rashi did not need to explain for the Talmud tells us that naturally one’s coming into the world is a curse.

Interesting Halachic aside the Beit Yosef suggests that this is the reason our morning blessings we bless Hashem for having not made us a gentile- shelo asani goy, rather than in the positive form of blessing Hashem for having created us a Jew she’asani yisrael. For being created a Jews is not necessarily a blessing. One’s coming into the world is only a blessing if one ultimately fulfills his commandments. We can only bless Hashem that he did not create us as gentiles so at least we have the opportunities throughout our lives to make that which we were born a blessing if we follow the mitzvos.

Sounds pretty deep? It was really just a simple Rashi.

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL HISTORICAL EVENT THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DATE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-

Creation of the World- this Wednesday 25^th Elul Year 0 - 3761 BCE:- Was this the day of the Big Bang? According to Jewish tradition the first man -Adam and Eve were created on Rosh Hashana the first of Tishrei which was the 6^th day of Creation. Meaning 6 days before hand this coming Wednesday was the day that the Torah tells us In the beginning Hashem created heaven and Earth. The earth was empty and bare and spirit of Hashem was floating on top of the water. And Hashem said let there be light and there was light. Boom! Many suggest that is the big bang! Matter has been created. He separated the light and darkness into night and day. Many point out that since that first day there was not yet any earth or sun or moon for they weren’t created until day 4 then that day was not necessarily a 24 hour day. It could have been millions of years. This would resolve many of the questions that scientists challenge our Torah tradition with as they point of evidence of millions of years of formation. Our 24 hour day and our counting of time begins on Rosh Hashana with the creation of the center of the universe Man who is meant to bring the world to its fulfillment. That is why Rosh Hashana is the beginning of the year and not the 25^th of Elul. We have a man-centric view of the world. After-all we ae the only creation that Hashem blew into us a spirit of life, a soul, a piece of Him. All other creations were all spoken by Hashem and they poofed into existence. There you go Jewish science 101 from someone who barely passed his NY State regents in science. That’s all I know sorry.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S  FUNNY OPTOMETRIST JOKES OF THE WEEK

(wonder how many my brother the eye-doctor has heard?)

What music do optometrists listen to? Eye-Tunes

 

What was the lens’s excuse to the policeman?-I’ve been framed officer

 

What do you call a deer without eyes?-No idea

What do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs? Still no eye-deer

 

What did the sailor say to the captain of the optometrist boat?-eye-eye captain

 

What did the right eye say to the left eye? -Between you and me, there’s something that smells

...

How many optometrists does it take to screw in a light bulb? ( I don’t know) You tell me.. is it one or two?

 

Patient: I keep getting a stabbing pain in my eye every time I drink coffee

 Optometrist: Have you tried taking the spoon out of the cup?

 

**************

Answer is D - I’m really getting sick of these silly trivia questions. They’re just dumb and not necessary. But this is worse than usual. I recognized two of the above choices. Diwan is their court house the root Hebrew word being din which means judgement. The madrasa as well is their schools and study houses again like the Hebrew word beit Midrash. Which left zawi-whatever and hilveh which sounded somewhat familiar so I went with the other one zawi-whatever... I was wrong the correct answer is hilweh. The truth is I bet you there are even druzim that don’t know that. See because according their religion they have a choice if they want to be religious or not. 90% are not. They are therefore not allowed to pray or practice only the mystics are allowed to do that or even know the secrets of their religion. So if most of them don’t care enough about their religion why should I ?